1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal connector, and more particularly to a semiconductor signal connector which connects signal terminals between such a semiconductor device as a power module and a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
For controlling power to be supplied to such a drive device as a servo-motor, switching devices using semiconductor devices, such as IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) and IPM (Intelligent Power Module) are used. IPM is a composite device where a drive component and a control component are included in an IGBT.
Control signals of the semiconductor device are transferred by connecting a signal conductor to a control terminal of the semiconductor device side. In order to connect a signal conductor to a control terminal of the semiconductor device side, the signal conductor is directly soldered to a tab of the semiconductor side, or a fastening tab is used. For connection by a fastening tab, a receptacle where a connection terminal called a fastening terminal is connected to an electric wire by crimping or soldering is used, and this receptacle is connected to a tab of the semiconductor device side.
FIG. 10 is a diagram depicting the connection by a fastening tab. FIG. 10 is an example of IGBT. A semiconductor device 101 comprises current terminals 111 and plate type fastening tabs 112, and inputs control signals by connecting the fastening tabs 112 to control signal conductors.
It is known that a pin type terminal called a header pin is used instead of the above mentioned plate type tab to connect a signal conductor. FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are diagrams depicting connection by header pins. FIG. 11 is an example of IGBT and FIG. 12 is an example of IPM. A semiconductor device 102 or 103 comprises current terminals 111 and pin type control terminals 113 for inputting control signals, and a control signal conductor is connected by connecting a connector, which is not illustrated here, to this control terminal. A pin 114 is a structural member for positioning the connector.
Connection using a connector has been adopted for automating manufacturing and simplifying the circuit structure of an amplifier and other components by directly connecting signal conductors between the board which outputs control signals and the semiconductor device.
FIG. 13 is a diagram depicting connection by a conventional connector. A connector 100 in FIG. 13 is a connector called a bottom entry connector. In this connector 100, a control terminal 113 of a semiconductor device 3 side (male side) is inserted to a connector 100 disposed at a control printed circuit board 2 side from the soldered surface side or the component surface side of the printed circuit board 2 so that the control terminal 113 can be inserted to a contact area 110 inside the connector 100.
With conventional semiconductor signal connectors, however, connection with a signal conductor is difficult, and in some cases, problems occur in terms of automation, reliability and maintainability.
In the case of a conventional semiconductor signal connector, alignment between the control terminal of the semiconductor device side and the connector disposed at the control printed circuit board side is difficult, and connection of a signal conductor is difficult if the positional shift is large.
A diameter of an opening of a conventional bottom entry connector for inserting a pin is xe2x96xa10.8, and a diameter of a normally used header pin is xe2x96xa10.64, therefore there is no margin for positional shift, and the control terminal of the semiconductor device side and the connector must be aligned accurately.
Generally, pin array accuracy of the control terminal of the semiconductor device side is lower than that of the connector, and it is also highly possible that contacting during packaging and transporting causes positional shift to the tips of the pins. This makes it difficult for a conventional semiconductor signal connector to connect with a signal conductor.
Also, in the case of a conventional semiconductor signal connector, a large insertion force and extraction force required for connecting and disconnecting the semiconductor device to/from the connector may make connection with the signal conductor difficult, and this also may cause failure to mounted components. Insertion force and extraction force at connecting and disconnecting may cause warp of the printed circuit board, and such deformation of the printed circuit board may damage components or cause wire breakage.
Such positional shift, large forces required for connecting and disconnecting, and warp of a printed circuit board and component failure caused by the force will cause problems to semiconductor devices in terms of the automation of signal conductor connection, reliability and maintainability.
An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of conventional semiconductor signal connectors and to provide a semiconductor signal connector which connects with a signal conductor easily.
A semiconductor signal connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a contact area where a contact part which can contact with a signal terminal is elongated in a direction roughly perpendicular to the center of axis direction of the signal terminal, so that the signal terminal can contact any location of the elongated contact part of the contact area.
The contact area comprises the first part to be connected with the first signal terminal, the second part to be connected with the second signal terminal, and a connecting part which connects the first and second signal terminals, and the connecting part is formed by a deformable material or structure.
According to the semiconductor signal connector of the present invention, a signal conductor can be connected easily. For example, alignment with the control terminal at the semiconductor device side and the connector disposed at the control printed circuit board side is easy, and a signal conductor can be connected easily, even if the positional shift between them is large.